As hunting season is around the corner, please everyone be EXTREMELY mindful of the trail closures. This is not our land. We have no permission to be there. DEP has closed, and posted signs, on virtually ALL THE PARKING LOT SIDE. We (mtn. bikers) are in the minority for trail access and we don't want to hinder any potential progress by having any altercations with hunters, and other rightful trail users. Please don't be the bad apple.

The TOWER SIDE is mostly free and clear, and not under DEP jurisdiction. If you must ride ninham, please respectfully keep to the tower side trails.

As an aside, what's the status with the Parking Lot itself? Upon returning to it from my Tower Side ride Sunday at 12:30 or so, a DEP/DEC cop pulled in the lot. He circled around the turn around and pointed his car right at me, I'm assuming because I had a bike on a roof rack. As I pulled out, I fully expected to be engaged based on the cops 'posture', but wasn't.

Are they going to actually hike into the woods to their property and jurisdiction for enforcement, or just sit in the lot and enforce with their presence? I was under the assumption the lot itself is a part of the Putnam County park. If the lot is DEP or DEC property as well, that might be additionally useful in messaging to the mountain biking community.

If you continue to ride the Tower Side, make sure you GPS your rides for the potential shakedown.

I'm amazed that tax dollars are being used to patrol Ninham as if mtb'ers are a serious problem and threat to the NYC watershed. There must be 100x more mtb'ers using Ninham than hunters, yet they have all the clout. How did that happen? How do we improve our stature with the land managers?Thx to Mike Vitti for looking for a solution. Ninham (parking lot side) is the crown jewel of local riding in my opinion.

As an aside, what's the status with the Parking Lot itself? Upon returning to it from my Tower Side ride Sunday at 12:30 or so, a DEP/DEC cop pulled in the lot. He circled around the turn around and pointed his car right at me, I'm assuming because I had a bike on a roof rack. As I pulled out, I fully expected to be engaged based on the cops 'posture', but wasn't.

Are they going to actually hike into the woods to their property and jurisdiction for enforcement, or just sit in the lot and enforce with their presence? I was under the assumption the lot itself is a part of the Putnam County park. If the lot is DEP or DEC property as well, that might be additionally useful in messaging to the mountain biking community.

If you continue to ride the Tower Side, make sure you GPS your rides for the potential shakedown.

It would not surprise me to hear that people are encountering DEP personnel on foot on the parking lot side. Until this gets sorted out and Mountain Biking is written in as a permitted use of the DEP property we should be limiting our riding to the Tower side. If we don't cooperate that will demonstrate that we are not a trustworthy group and hamper our ability to work out an agreement.

_________________Don't confuse my personality with my attitude. My personality is who I am; my attitude is who you are!

It would not surprise me to hear that people are encountering DEP personnel on foot on the parking lot side. Until this gets sorted out and Mountain Biking is written in as a permitted use of the DEP property we should be limiting our riding to the Tower side. If we don't cooperate that will demonstrate that we are not a trustworthy group and hamper our ability to work out an agreement.

Agreed, I guess my question is: does enforcement include the parking lot itself? Is it permissible to park in the regular lot when riding on the Tower Side? Or should we be parking on Mount Ninham Court?

It would not surprise me to hear that people are encountering DEP personnel on foot on the parking lot side. Until this gets sorted out and Mountain Biking is written in as a permitted use of the DEP property we should be limiting our riding to the Tower side. If we don't cooperate that will demonstrate that we are not a trustworthy group and hamper our ability to work out an agreement.

Agreed, I guess my question is: does enforcement include the parking lot itself? Is it permissible to park in the regular lot when riding on the Tower Side? Or should we be parking on Mount Ninham Court?

I think it's ok to park in the Lot. If you encounter DEP or DEC be friendly (why wouldn't you be) and you can even acknowledge that you're staying away from the lot side trails.

_________________Don't confuse my personality with my attitude. My personality is who I am; my attitude is who you are!

It is safe to park in the lot. There are a couple of trails on Parking lot side that are not Watershed. Trails that are off limits are posted, so stay clear of those. Tower side is all legal for riding.

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